Expressing solidarity with medical students in their anti-quota agitation, the Indian Medical Association on Friday asked resident doctors and faculty associations in hospitals in Delhi to go on a 24-hour strike with immediate effect and called a bandh on May 15.

Criticising the alleged use of force by Delhi police on protesting students, IMA president Sanjeev Malik claimed, "Already some of the doctors in various hospital have gone on strike and the rest will go on strike tomorrow."

Malik claimed the strike call was expected to affect the services very badly in premier government hospitals like AIIMS, LNJP and Safdarjung.

He said that during the May 15 bandh, besides the government hospitals, the doctors in private hospitals were also expected to participate. He said the IMA has also asked the private practitioners to participate in the Bandh.

He said if even after all these government refused to withdraw the proposed move to reserve seats for OBCs in elite educational institutes and central universities, then the Association will call a nation-wide bandh on May 25.